


I Almost Remember

by baz_is_a_skeez



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-06-29 14:09:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15730998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baz_is_a_skeez/pseuds/baz_is_a_skeez
Summary: Ymir and Sasha need a princess. Krista doesn't remember who she is. When they find each other, they can't help but seize an opportunity that will change all of their lives forever.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Have I ever mentioned how I think an Anastasia AU would fit Historia perfectly? Clearly I’m terrible and couldn’t stop myself, oops.  
> It really is perfect though, she already has a fake name, she didn’t know she was royalty growing up, and she has four siblings that no one ever remembers.  
> Ymir is also a perfect con artist, and a half sister Frieda is a perfect replacement for a grandmother, right?  
> Anyways, this follows the plot of the musical, not the movie, because I like the musical better (I saw it on Broadway on opening night, it was amazing) and I think it makes more sense without all the supernatural Rasputin stuff. The plot also flows better and the characters are more interesting in general.  
> Don’t worry, I didn’t just copy the script from the musical and replace the characters names, I absolutely hate it when people do that. I did my best to make it unique and original while still following the basic plot!  
> Each chapter is named after the song it’s based on (or a variation to fit the AU), just for reference if you’d like to listen to them, which I obviously recommend. 
> 
> So anyway, I hope you have fun reading my dumb AU, because I had fun writing it.

_“...And they all lived happily ever after.”_  
  
Historia looked up brightly as she finished reading. “The end!” 

“Good job!” Frieda exclaimed, “I don’t think you’ve ever read a book this big, have you?” 

Historia smiled proudly and shook her head. 

“Nope. Was I good?”

Frieda never stopped being impressed by her younger half-sister; she was only eight, but she’d read twice the amount of books as any adult Frieda knew. She was frighteningly intelligent, and Frieda couldn’t have been more pleased.

“Yes, you were _very_ good. You’re going to be the smartest princess Eldia has ever had.” 

Historia grinned. “Not as smart as you, though.”

“Yes, even _smarter_ than me, silly,” she replied, making Historia giggle when she poked her cheek. “It’s time for me to leave soon. You should start getting ready for the party.”

“Do you _have_ to go?” She whined, crawling into Frieda’s lap. “Florian and Abel never play with me, and Dirk always pulls my hair and takes my desserts when you aren’t around. And Urklyn is boring.” 

Frieda laughed sadly and stroked Historia’s head. She wished she didn’t have to leave, but she’d been in Eldia for too long, and the Queen's patience was growing thin. She had no desire for her husband’s illegitimate daughter to be living in her country, let alone her palace. Frieda would leave for Marley that night, never to return. 

“I’m sorry, Historia. We’ll be together soon, okay? You’ll come visit me.”

“But why can’t I go _with_ you?” She complained. Frieda sighed. 

“Because you’re a princess, and a princess has to stay in her country with all her people who love her. You understand, don’t you?”

Historia nodded glumly, hugging her tight.

“Oh, before I forget,” Frieda said, reaching under her pillow.

She handed Historia a shining porcelain music box. It was gorgeous; Forest green with delicate golden flowers painted on with extreme care, and a matching lining that looked almost like lace. Historia gazed at it in awe, unable to remember the last time she’d seen something so pretty.

“Here,” She said, carefully twisting a screw at the bottom. The box opened and played a beautiful, almost melancholy tune. 

“You keep this with you until you see me again, and we can listen to it together, okay? And make sure you keep it away from Dirk.” 

Historia took the music box, wiping off a tear that fell on it. 

“Come on now, don’t cry! Remember, you’re a lady.” Frieda said, dabbing Historia’s eyes with a handkerchief. 

“I know, I’m sorry,” she sniffed. “I’m going to miss you.” 

Frieda smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind Historia’s ear. “I’ll miss you too. Play this song whenever you get sad, and remember that I’m waiting for you in Marley.” 

“I will,” Historia promised. A maid entered the room then, bowing slightly to both of them. 

“Princess, it’s almost time for the ball. I’m here to help you dress.” 

Historia looked at Frieda, who just put a delicate hand on her cheek. 

“Have fun tonight, and don’t be sad, understand? You have to show everyone what a lovely girl you are!” 

Historia nodded again as Frieda picked her up and placed her on the ground, kneeling so that she was at eye level with her. 

“Your big sister loves you, Historia, don’t forget that.” She hugged her one last time, holding back a tear that threatened to spill from her own eye. 

“I love you too, and I’ll see you soon,” Historia said firmly. Frieda laughed and stood up as the maid took Historia’s hand, escorting her out of the room. 

Frieda stared at her as she left, allowing a single tear to slide down her cheek. She forced them away, gathering her own bags and leaving the room, and Eldia, forever.


	2. A Rumor In Mitras

It had been ten years since the revolution that led to the execution of the Reiss family, and Eldia had been under new rule ever since.

The new regime claimed to be “for the people”, but Ymir knew better. The rules had changed, but Eldia was the same - a sad, hungry country full of sad, hungry people. 

Ymir refused to accept such a fate. She and her (literal) partner in crime, Sasha, spent their days foraging for food, goods, and money in less than legal ways.

She sat with Sasha in a bar in one of the many impoverished parts of Mitras, listening to the radio drone on about how Eldia was thriving, how everyone was finally equal, and all sorts of other made up fantasies.

Ymir scoffed as she listened.

“Can you believe this?” She said with disgust. “These bastards have the nerve to say we’re all better off now. When was the last time you saw someone who wasn’t sick, starving or freezing, huh?” 

The others in the bar made affirmative noises, but Sasha looked nervous.

“Ymir,” she warned anxiously, “Careful!”

“What?” Ymir said apathetically. “The government doesn’t care what I have to say. It’s just the big guys who denounce out in the open that end up disappearing into the night. That’s one of the perks of being a dirty street rat.”

Sasha sighed, laying her head on the counter. 

“I _am_ starving,” she groaned. “Can’t we get something to eat? Please?” 

“Sure. As soon as we get some damn money.” Ymir stood and pulled Sasha outside.

“I have some stuff I think I can get a good amount for today. When we get some money, we eat, alright?”

Sasha grinned and nodded, her stomach already growling.

* * *

On the other side of the city, a street sweeper was doing her best to keep herself from freezing to death as she worked.

Krista shivered furiously as she swept, the cold sinking through her thinning dress and deep into her bones. She thanked god it wasn’t windy; the last time she’d been working it was, and she nearly fell over every time an icy gust would slam her. She focused on moving her arms back and forth, trying to sweep without them going stiff.

Her concentration was broken when she heard a loud, explosive noise that sounded frighteningly like gunfire. She screamed and dropped to her knees, covering her head protectively. 

“Don’t be scared,” said a deep, comforting voice above her. She looked up nervously to see a tall, muscular blonde man in a general’s uniform looking kindly down at her.

“It was just a truck backfiring, you have nothing to be afraid of.” he assured, offering her a hand. She hesitantly took it and let him pull her up, brushing off her dress in embarrassment. 

“Yes, I know,” she said uncomfortably. “I just...”

“I understand,” he said with an amicable smile. “It can be frightening, but the days of violence and fighting are in the past now. There’s no need to worry.” 

“I know,” she repeated, unsure of what else to say. “Thank you.”

He noticed her shaking hand and frowned.

“You’re freezing. There’s a café down the street, I’ll get you-“

“I’m sorry,” she cut him off, quickly picking up her broom. He looked at her quizzically.

“What’s the matter?”

She looked down nervously. “It’s just - it’s not easy to get a job around here, I can’t lose this one.” 

He nodded, still looking concerned. “Well, I’m here every day. My offer still stands, if you’d ever like to take me up on it.”

Krista gave him a small, grateful smile. 

“Of course,” she said before turning and getting back to work. She wished she _could_ take him up on it; nothing sounded better than being in a warm café with a hot cup of tea and some company, but if she did that, she would be on the street again before she knew it. She sighed and continued to sweep, counting the hours until the day was over and she could rest. 

* * *

Ymir was had been trying to bargain off a necklace that she _claimed_ to be of great value, and having little luck. This was the third merchant she’d been to, and she desperately hoped he’d be the charm. 

“It just looks like a regular necklace to me,” the man at the antique stand complained. “Nothing special about it.”

“Haven’t you heard?” She asked, sounding surprised. “This ruby belonged to Queen Reiss herself. It’s worth at least thirty.” 

“Thirty?!” The man exclaimed, “That’s ridiculous!”

She hesitated, acting distressed. “You’re right,” she sighed. “Since I’d like to make a fair deal, I guess I could  give it to you for twenty.”

The man shook his head.

“Twenty is outrageous. That’s enough to feed a whole family for a week.” 

Ymir frowned. “This belonged to royalty, sir. Things like this aren’t easy to come by. _But_ , if you really insist, I’m willing to make ten my final offer.” 

He stared at the necklace for a moment, deliberating.

“Fine,” He said, handing her ten and snatching the necklace quickly.

“Lovely doing business with you, friend,” she said with sly grin, slipping away quickly. Sasha looked at her excitedly when she walked over.

“What was that, anyway?”

“A piece of dyed glass on a cheap string I snatched from some shop on the other side of town. It’s worth two, max.”

“ _Nice_ ,” Sasha said, counting the money enthusiastically. “How much have we made this week?” 

Ymir grabbed the money from her. 

“Idiot, don’t just count it in the street! Come on.” They found an alley where they made sure no one could see them, opening Ymir’s satchel and sorting through, taking out all the money.

“Forty three,” Ymir said, “It’s good, but we still don’t have nearly enough to get out of the Eldia _and_ live somewhere else.”

A life of conning and stealing and sleeping on the streets may have worked in Mitras, but in Marley, people were too smart and too rich to be fooled, and the homeless were always kicked out of the city due to their unsavory nature. If they were going to live there - or _anywhere_ better than the Eldia - they would need to be able to afford to do so.

“They sealed another gate,” Sasha said grimly. “We might be running out of time.”

“Shit,” Ymir swore under her breath.

They were both brainstorming ways to somehow come up with enough money to get out of Eldia when Ymir caught wind of a conversation happening near the ally entry. She couldn’t understand it completely, but she got the key parts:

 _“Reiss family”_ _  
_

_“Lost princess”_ _  
_

_“Half sister”_ _  
_

_“Historia”_ _  
_

And, most importantly, “ _Reward_ .” 

A devilish grin spread across Ymir’s face.

“Sasha,” she began, “You’ve heard of the princess Historia, right?” 

Sasha looked confused. “Of course, but you don’t actually believe she’s alive, do you?” 

“I’m not an idiot,” Ymir said irately. “But eighty percent of the people in these walls are. They’ll believe anything if it fuels their need to gossip, and I’m assuming a desperate, grieving sister would too, if it made her feel better.”

Sasha continued to look perplexed before she understood and gasped. “No!”

“ _Yes_ ,” Ymir insisted. “Think about it! The reward money her sister is offering to find the little princess could set us for life. We get some pretty blonde with half decent acting skills and turn her into the perfect Princess Historia, solving the mystery of the century. We almost have enough to get out, and when we do, we’ll take the girl to Marley and get more money than we could _ever_ hope to make here.” 

Sasha stared at Ymir with fearful eyes, contemplating whether or not it was worth getting captured, imprisoned, or shot. Judging by the look on Ymir’s face, she didn’t think she had much say in the matter anyway.

“We need something of Historia’s to show her sister. Or at least something that _seems_ like it could be hers. Any ideas?”

Sasha thought for a moment.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, snapping her fingers. “I saw someone selling a music box at a booth down the street. They said it was hers. I don’t know if it really was, but it’s worth a shot, right? Even if it’s not, her sister might think it is.”

Ymir nodded, still looking devious. 

“Pack your bag, Sasha,” she said, staring at the farthest wall with a frighteningly determined look on her face, "We’re going to Marley.”


	3. In My Dreams

As it turned out, finding a fake Historia was just about as difficult as finding the real one.   


They’d seen at least twenty girls, and not one of them was even slightly convincing. The last few had even yelled at her, claiming they were ‘perfect’ for the part, and threatening to turn her in. She ignored them as empty threats, of course. Broke prostitutes and the homeless would say anything if they thought it would get them a better life.   


“This is _ bullshit _ ,” Ymir growled, kicking a chair. “All we need is a cute girl who can act like she knows how to function in high society, and what do we get? Desperate hookers and street trash.”   


“ _ We’re _ street trash,” Sasha pointed out matter of factly.   


“Well  _ we _ aren’t the ones who have to convince the world that we’re princesses, are we?” Ymir snapped sarcastically.    


“Guess not,” Sasha mumbled, taking a bite of a cracker she had leftover.

“And this damn music box doesn’t even work,” Ymir grumbled, trying and failing for the umpteenth time to open it.    
She gave up and fell into a chair with her head in her hands, letting the music box fall to the ground.    


“Excuse me?” Came a quiet voice from the doorway.    


“Auditions are over,” Ymir called without looking up.    


“Um, I’m not - Are you Ymir?”   


“Yeah, what’s it to you?” She replied cavalierly.    


“I need exit papers, and I was told you’re the one I should see to get them. I’m trying to get to Marley,” She answered.   


Ymir looked up quickly to see a small blonde girl standing nervously in the doorway, barely making eye contact.   


“Marley?” She asked, standing. “Why do you want to go there?”    


She didn’t know why she was so surprised. There were countless people in Eldia who wanted to get out, and Marley was a popular choice given its close distance and allegedly flourishing economy. Still, something about this girl in particular wanting to go seemed odd.    


She looked mildly offended. “Why does it matter why I want to go? I just heard you can help. Is that true?”   


Ymir looked at her for a moment. She had big, frightened blue eyes, and an expression that she could tell was  _ trying _ to seem challenging, but was unfortunately ineffective.    


“No,” she replied coldly. “It’s not true. Sorry, try somewhere else.”    


“What? Yes it is, we-“ Ymir cut Sasha off with a deathly glare, but it was too late.    


“I knew it!” The girl said, coming closer faster this time. “You  _ can  _ help me. Please, I need to get to Marley as soon as I can. It’s urgent.”    


“What’s a girl like you going to do alone in Marley? You’ll probably be kidnapped before you get off the train.”    


“No,” she insisted, stepping in further. “I...” She stopped, standing still. 

“...Wait a minute,” she breathed, looking around the room with wide eyes.    


“What is it?” Ymir asked, both annoyed and curious.   


“I’ve been in this room before,” she said, sounding as if she was in a daze. “I saw a play...”    


Ymir scoffed. “That’s impossible. This is Count Jaeger’s palace, and it’s been abandoned since he died with the Reiss family a decade ago. There hasn’t been a play here in years, and even if there was, I doubt  _ you’d _ be able to afford a ticket.”    


“Ymir!” Sasha scolded. “I’m sorry, my friend is rude. What did you say your name was?”    


The girl continued to look around for a moment before snapping back to reality.   


“Sorry, um, my name is Krista. Sort of. Not really.”   


“What do you mean, ‘not really’?” Ymir asked, growing more curious.   


Krista sat down slowly in one of the seats, staring at the ground with her hands in her pockets. Sasha and Ymir both walked over to her, looking at her more closely.    


“I...I don’t know who I am, or where I’m from. I don’t even know how  _ old  _ I am. I just woke up one day in an orphanage, and they told me they found me passed out in the street, and that I was probably ten or eleven. They didn’t know my name, so they just called me Krista. I spent about a year in the orphanage, but it was so terrible, I ran away. I’ve been living on my own ever since. I think going to Marley can help me remember where I’m from.”   


Sasha and Ymir were quiet, taking in her story.   


“Why do you think going to Marley will help you?” Asked Sasha.    


“There’s someone there that I know. I’m sure there is.” She replied, sounding more sure of the fact than anything else she'd said.   


Ymir looked at her skeptically. “How do you know that, if you have no memories?”   


Krista hesitated. “I have...dreams, sometimes.”   


“Dreams about your past?”    


Krista nodded.   


“Yes. But they’re really vague, and I usually can’t remember them after. Sometimes they’re nice,” she said, a small smile appearing on her face. Ymir noted, briefly, how very pretty she was before continuing to focus on her story.   


“I’ll be in some sort of bright room, and I’ll hear music, and I see lights and silhouettes. It could just be a random dream, but it  _ feels  _ like a memory, if that makes sense. But other times...” she frowned, looking almost afraid. “They get scary. I hear screams, and I see fire, and I feel like I’m being pushed, and grabbed, and - I don’t know. Suffocated.”   


“What does all this have to do with Marley?” Ymir asked, not convinced of Krista’s motives.   


“The same thing tends to happen in my dreams, pretty often,” She said, “ I hear someone talking about Marley.”   


Ymir quirked an eyebrow.   


“What about it?”   


Krista took a deep breath. She’d never talked about this before, and it was a bit overwhelming.    


“I dream that someone is telling me that they’ll see me there. That I’ll be with them, in Marley.” She looked up for the first time, eyes full of determination.   


“I know they’re just dreams, but they feel so  _ real,  _ I have to believe they’re memories. I don’t know what they mean, but I know I have to keep going if I want to find out. If going to Marley will help me, then I’m going. I’ll do whatever you need if you help me get there.”    


Ymir looked at her in surprise. She’d been so shy and timid at first, and now to see her look so strong and driven felt like Ymir was seeing her for the first time.   


She was about to say something when Krista’s eyes suddenly landed on the music box on the floor.   


“Where did you find this?” She asked, hastily picking it up and looking at it.    


“I got ripped off by some guy who claimed it belonged to Historia Reiss, but it doesn’t even -“ She and Sasha looked at Krista in shock when she wound up a switch at the bottom of the box, opening it easily.    


“How did you know it worked that way?” Sasha asked nervously.   


Krista stared at the box, just as confused as they were.   


“I...don’t know.” She answered and a small voice. Ymir stepped closer, examining the girl. She didn’t actually believe she was the princess, not for a minute. Historia was dead, and there was no denying that. Still, if she could pick up on things like that so easily, she must have had good intuition, and she  _ did  _ have a regal air about her that Ymir couldn’t quite describe.

Frankly, she also liked her attitude.   


“Sasha,” she whispered, not taking her eyes off the girl. “I think we have our princess.”

Sasha looked at her in surprise. “ _ Her _ ?” She whispered back. Krista was too distracted by the music box and the song it played to even notice their conversation.

“Listen,” Ymir said, putting her hand on Sasha’s shoulder and turning them away from Krista.

“She matches the description, right? Pretty and blonde with those big blue Reiss eyes. She recognized the music box, and she’s clearly desperate to get out of the walls. Isn’t it perfect?”

“You don’t  _ actually  _ think she’s the princess, do you?” Sasha asked doubtfully.

“Of course not,” Ymir replied with a roll of her eyes. “But if we can get  _ her  _ to think she is, then-“

“What are you two talking about?” 

They whirled around to see her looking at them with her arms crossed, looking displeased.

“Something about the papers I should know?” She questioned. Ymir smiled as kindly as she could, which wasn’t very much.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, we’re headed to Marley as well,” she explained. 

“Really?” Krista said excitedly, “Can you help me? Please? I’ll repay you however you want. I would be so thankful if you took me with you!” 

“Well,” Ymir began, feigning hesitation, “The thing is, part of the reason we’re going is because we’ve been trying to find the princess Historia. I’m sure you’ve heard of her, right?” 

Krista nodded. “Of course, but you don’t really think she’s alive, do you?” 

Ymir crossed her arms and shrugged casually.

“Who knows? I think there’s a good chance. And, believe it or not, you resemble her quite a bit.”

Krista frowned. “That’s ridiculous. There’s no way.”

“Maybe not,” Ymir sang, “But maybe there is.”

Krista looked at her like she was insane. 

“There’s  _ not.  _ I can’t pretend to be some long lost princess, no one will believe it for a second!”

“From what I can tell, you don’t have very many options. It’s a wild thought, but it’s worth a shot, right?” Ymir countered, looking at her expectantly. 

Krista held the music box close, looking at it anxiously. 

“But...what if I’m not? Then what will I do?” 

“Then you continue on your great adventure to find your family, and have a great story to tell them when you do. Either way, you get to Marley and find what you’ve been looking for. You win no matter what.” Ymir answered frankly.

Krista thought for a moment before meeting their eyes with a slightly harsh look.

“Why do  _ you  _ want to reunite them? Don’t tell me it’s out of the goodness of your heart, because I won’t believe you.”

“Well, we were hoping for a  _ small  _ thank you . Nothing much, just some permanent food and housing to get us through life. After all, Frieda Reiss has so much wealth, she must be willing to share some  of it with the people who brought her beloved baby sister back.” 

Krista looked conflicted again before closing her eyes.

“Alright,” She said without opening them. “I’ll do it.” 


	4. Learn To Do It

Krista had only been staying with Ymir and Sasha for a day when they announced it was time for her to learn how to present herself as the most convincing princess possible.

“Lucky for you, you’re working with two professionals,” Sasha declared proudly, “We may not look it, but we can be  _ quite  _ refined.” 

“Hope your ready to learn from the best,” Ymir added, taking Sasha’s hand and exaggeratedly pulling her into a waltzing position.

“How do the two of you know about how to act royal?” Krista asked curiously.

“I used to work at the palace before it was raided when I was thirteen, and Ymir’s snuck in to enough galas and parties to have learned the manners,” Sasha explained. “Fortunately for you, I also know quite a lot about Historia from that experience!”

“Did you ever meet her?” 

Sasha shook her head.  “Not personally, but I saw her around the palace every now and then. Never close enough to get a good look, but everyone always talked about her, so I knew nearly as much about her as anyone who was close to her did.”   


“Your job is simple,” Ymir stated. “Act like a princess. Talk like a princess. Make that poor woman believe you  _ are  _ a princess, and boom. Family found, the end.”

“But I’m  _ not  _ a princess!” 

“You  _ might  _ be,” Ymir argued.

“It’s easy!” Sasha insisted, “If Ymir and a clumsy mess like me can do it, you definitely can.”    


“Here, like this,” Ymir instructed, pushing Krista's shoulders back and tilting her chin up.    


“You’re so short, it’ll be hard for you to look regal to anyone without some heels.”   


“Hey!” Krista protested, offended.   


“We can work on heels later. For now, let’s just get you to walk in flat shoes without your shoulders hunched over like a scared kid.”    


Krista glared at her and crossed her arms, standing up straighter than usual.   


“I don’t walk around like a scared kid. I’m supposed to be a princess now, right? You should give me the same respect you would give a real one!”    


Sasha and Ymir looked surprised for a moment before they both grinned mischievously.   


“I think she’s getting the hang of it already, Sasha. We just have to keep making her mad.”    


Krista huffed angrily.   


“Just tell me what to do first so we can get this over with, please.”    


“First things first,” Sasha began, “You need to learn about the princess’s life. You were born in a palace, naturally. Your hobbies as a child included drawing, piano, embroidery, and horseback riding, among other things.”   


“Horseback riding?” She repeated in surprise. “I’ve never even been on a horse.”   


Sasha waved her hand dismissively. “You just need to know enough to talk about it if someone asks you. No one is going to give you a riding test.”    


Krista nodded, listening carefully.   


“You were always really well behaved and nice to everyone. The cook snuck you extra sweets when he wasn’t supposed to, I was _so_ jealous.”    


“I’m sure she had tantrums now and then. I’m still waiting to see you break that sugary shell of yours and finally yell at someone. Just now was a nice preview.” Ymir added teasingly.   


Krista glared at her, but said nothing.    


“Historia played outside a lot," Sasha continued. "It was kind of sad, actually. Her siblings never played with her. She got in trouble for running around alone, but she never even got upset when she was yelled at. She was just glad she got to play. She was freakishly optimistic.”   


“I like that,” Krista said, “Optimism is important.”    


Ymir scoffed judgmentally, but Krista ignored her, unwilling to give her the satisfaction of making her angry.    


“She - I mean,  _ you  _ weren’t very close with either of your parents, especially your mother. I don’t think I saw her speak to you a single time except once when she slapped you in the middle of a party. I’m not even sure what you did, probably nothing. The woman was a real bitch.” Sasha went on, and Krista almost laughed at the frankness of her tone.   


“What about her - uh,  _ my  _ brothers and sisters?” 

Sasha thought for a moment.

“Your siblings, lets see. Urklyn was the oldest. There isn’t much to be said about him. He was like any heir, really. Stuffy, studious and boring.”

“I can picture that,” Krista said, imagining him surprisingly clearly.

“Florian was exactly one year and one day older than you. People sometimes thought you two were twins, and one of you was just in a dark wig. Sadly, she and your other sister, Abel, usually played together without you except when they were playing games that needed a third person, which you were always very happy about. Then there was Dirk, who was just stuck up and snobby. He was always picking on you and your sisters for no reason and wouldn’t stop unless Urklyn was there to lecture him.”

“Real princely behavior,” Ymir commented sarcastically. 

“Even though you didn’t always get along, you still loved them all very much, and admired them the way I guess any little sister would.” Sasha finished, sounding practically affectionate.

“What about the half sister? The one we’re going to meet?” She asked insistently.

“Oh, right,” Sasha said. “Well, to be honest, I didn’t know much about her. She stayed in her room or the garden most of the time and didn’t really talk to anyone, probably because the Queen didn’t want to see her. I guess she must have liked you a lot if she’s willing to go to such lengths to find you.”

“Haven’t we had enough lecture?” Ymir crossed her arms impatiently. “No one’s gonna quiz her on her past. We need to teach her how to  _ act.” _

“Fine, fine,” Sasha said, turning to Krista.    


“Your posture was good, but now you look scared again. Imagine a string attached to your head pulling up, okay?”    


Krista tried to do as she said, standing straight and lifting her chin. Ymir circled her, examining closely. “Can we do something about this hair?” She asked, picking up a strand. “It should at least be somewhat styled, right?”   


“Huh? Do you think we have a barber handy?” Sasha questioned. “We’ll deal with all that later.” She looked back at Krista. “Your posture looks better. Think you can walk like that?” 

Krista nodded and began to walk, feeling uncomfortably stiff. Ymir barked a laugh.

“What  _ is  _ that? You look like you have a stick up your-“

“ _ Ymir!”  _ Sasha scolded. “You’re doing fine, Krista. Just try to relax a little, okay? Imagine your floating.”

Krista frowned, continuing to walk more carefully. She closed her eyes and  _ imagined  _ herself as a princess, walking into some grand party, putting herself in her place. She focused and took another step, staying with that oddly familiar feeling.

“Whoa, what happened?” Ymir asked Sasha in surprise when her walking suddenly improved. 

“I don’t know, but I like it!” Sasha replied with a smile. “She’s a total natural.”

She really was. Ymir couldn’t seem to look away as she walked, though her face still looked uncomfortable. 

“I guess we picked a good one, huh?” Sasha whispered.

“Damn right,” Ymir replied, grinning. 

* * *

The next few days were a blur of lesson after lesson, primarily led by Sasha.

“Don’t tilt your head down when you drink. Golden string, remember?” She reminded. Ymir was shocked to see that she was capable of staying so focused on something, and found that she actually respected her for it. 

Krista, for her part, was picking up on things surprisingly quickly. She did everything stiffly and awkwardly the first time, but after not too many tries she seemed to have each task mastered.

“So tell me, princess, how do you like the caviar?” Sasha asked formally, addressing Krista’s bowl of beans. 

“It’s lovely, thank you,” Krista replied politely, her voice even sweeter than usual. “And I’m so glad you could dine with me tonight. How is your wife?”

“She’s fine,” Sasha replied. “Fat. There’s no more copulation in our marriage, that’s for sure.”

Krista almost choked on the tea she was drinking, stopping her laughter.

“Sasha!”

“What?” Sasha said humorously, “You have to be prepared for anything!”

“I don’t think she’s gonna have rich nobles telling her about their shitty sex lives,” Ymir said, though she took was entertained. “Let’s keep it realistic here.”

“It’s always good to be careful,” Sasha argued, taking a sip of her tea.

“Alright,” Ymir said, standing and offering Krista a hand.

“It’s about time we work on one of the most important parts. You know how to dance?”

Krista took her hand hesitantly. “Of course not. It can’t be that hard though, can it?” 

Ymir shrugged. “It depends on how good you are.”

Sasha switched through the radio stations until she found one that was playing fuzzy classical music.

“Perfect! Okay, Ymir, show her how it’s done.”

“Gladly,” Ymir replied, taking her hand and leading her to the middle of the room.

“Now, when someone asks you to dance, what do you say?”

“Either, ‘Yes, I’d love to,’ or ‘I’d love to, but I’m afraid I can’t’.”

“Right. No matter what, you’d love to.” She stepped back held out her hand. 

“Your highness, may I have this dance?”

“I’d love to, but I’m afraid I can’t.”

Ymir frowned as Sasha laughed into her hand.

“Let’s try again,” Ymir deadpanned. “ _Your highness_ , _may I have this dance?”_

Krista held back a laugh. “Yes, I’d love to,” she replied, taking her hand and allowing Ymir to put her hand on the small of her back and pull her forward. She turned slightly pink at their close proximity, but stayed focused. 

“Your height makes things a bit of a challenge, but we can work with it,” she observed, and Krista held back a rude response. 

She showed the moves to a dance several times, and like everything else, she picked it up after only a few tries. 

In no time she was dancing as if she had a hundred times before, and neither Ymir or Sasha would have believed she never had. Moreover, she even seemed to be enjoying herself, even laughing when Ymir would make a sarcastic comment or try to get a rise out of her. 

Sasha watched them carefully as they danced, a small feeling of concern creeping up on her. She’d known Ymir a long time, and was quite adept at reading her; she could tell there was something different about the way she looked at Krista. 

If she  _ was  _ developing feelings, then fate really was a bitch. Ymir had never felt that way about anyone, and if the one person she ended up loving happened to be someone who she could never be with, it would break both her and Sasha’s hearts. She briefly wondered if there was a way they  _ could  _ stay together, but she knew it was impossible. 

It didn’t matter. It had been less than a week, anyway, and Sasha was probably just reading too much into things because she’d never seen Ymir have fun with another person in her life unless it involved taunting, scamming or scaring them. 

She decided not to intervene and let them have their fun, and hope it didn’t end in disaster.

* * *

 

When they felt she was sufficient enough in the realm of manners and movements, Sasha and Ymir went back to teaching Krista “her” family history.

“Let’s go over this,” Sasha began as they sat at a table in the inn’s empty dining hall. “Your father’s favorite relatives?”

“Grisha, Dina and Zeke Jaeger.”

“And what happened to Dina?”

“She died, so he remarried...Cara?”

“Carla,” Sasha corrected.

“Right, he married Carla, and they had a son named Eren.”

“Good. Your grandmother and great grandmother?”

“Maria Reiss, Rose Reiss, and before that was Sina.”

“Mother’s maiden name?”

“Fritz.” 

“Father’s height?” Ymir asked.

“Um...short?”

“Ah, that explains it,” she teased, earning a slap on the head from Sasha. 

“Not relevant, Ymir!” She scolded. 

“Sorry, sorry,” she said, rubbing her head. “Don’t you think she’s got it down enough for now?” 

Sasha shook her head. “No. This needs to be perfect.” 

Krista tried not to groan. She just wanted some sleep.

“Your favorite cousin?”

“Armin!” She answered quickly. She didn’t know why the name made her feel a sense of happiness. 

“No, your favorite cousin was-“

“I think I would _know_ who my favorite cousin was,” she countered. 

“Clearly not, but I like how into character your getting.”

“ _ Stop it!”  _ She exclaimed. Ymir and Sasha stepped back in surprise.

“You keep treating me like I’m just a silly girl, like I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m  _ not.  _ I’ve been on my own for as long as I can remember, and I know a lot about survival, okay? I don’t know if you’ve forgotten, but I’m probably not  _ actually _ a princess, and I can handle myself.” She took a breath and sat down, staring at the floor. 

“I’m just scared. I’ve never - at least, I don’t  _ remember  _ ever doing anything like this. I’ve been in the walls as long as I know and now, leaving like this, pretending to be someone I'm probably not, it’s…it’s a lot to take in.” 

Sasha and Ymir looked at each other, both impressed and concerned. 

“Krista,” Sasha said softly, sitting next to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. “We know you aren’t a silly girl. We wouldn’t have chosen you if we didn’t think you were strong enough to do this. So cheer up, alright? You’re too cute to be sad.” 

Krista’s head snapped up at those words.

“What?”

Sasha frowned. “Did I say something wrong?” 

Krista shook her head. “No, I just feel like I’ve heard that before.”

“See?” Ymir said, “Pissing you off is helping you get your memory back! Your welcome, majesty.”

Krista looked at her angrily. 

“You aren’t very polite, you know that?”

Ymir shrugged nonchalantly.

“Come on, why don’t we take a dinner break?” Sasha suggested. “We’re all just hungry.”

“Fine,” Ymir and Krista conceded at once, following Sasha back to the inn they could barely afford to stay in. It was difficult, but it wasn’t like Krista hadn’t dealt with plenty of hardship in the past, and if it meant finding her family, she’d do anything.

* * *

 

It had been weeks, and  _ finally _ , Krista felt as ready as she could be. 

“One final review!” Sasha declared, she and Ymir standing in front of Krista.

“Tell me, Princess Historia, what was your childhood like?” 

Krista took a deep breath and began confidently.

“My favorite things to do were play pretend, ride my horse, and read books with my cousin Armin. I was always afraid of my cousin Eren and my brother Dirk, because they would team up and pick on me. I was friends with everyone who worked in the palace and they all gave me treats when no one was looking, so I stopped crying when Dirk would steal my desserts. My mother never liked me, but she didn’t like any of my siblings either, so I didn’t feel too bad about it. My father didn’t speak with us much, but he was kind when he did, and always gave us presents when he came back from a trip.” She stopped briefly, thinking more.  

“I loved when everyone came over for the holidays, because the palace was so noisy and busy and colorful with all the decorations, and the sparkly dresses, and the  _ music _ ,” a small smile spread across her lips. “Everyone was laughing and having fun, and Florian would even dance with me. The entire palace smelled like sweets, and I didn’t even care that I had to hug my smelly grandparents.” Her nose wrinkled at the thought, and Sasha laughed, but Ymir just stared at her. 

Her eyes sparkled and grew larger with every word, and her pink lips were turned up in what had to have been the prettiest smile Ymir had ever seen. The dreamy way she spoke made Ymir feel strangely affectionate, and almost protective. She was surprised to find she actually wanted to  _ help  _ this girl. She wanted her to find what she was looking for. She wanted to be there for her when she did, although they would never see each other again after. The thought saddened her a bit, but she pushed it away. 

“Alright,” She said, patting Krista’s back and snapping her out of her daydream. “It’s not perfect, but we don’t have much time, so I think it’ll do. Sasha?”

Sasha nodded. “Yep!” Her expression turned distressed. “But we're still way short. I haven’t exactly figured out how we’ll pay for all of this.”

“Oh! That reminds me,” Krista said, lifting her skirt.

“ _ Whoa,”  _ Sasha cried, “We don’t need to get money  _ that  _ way!”

Krista turned red. “That’s not what I mean! Just give me a second.” She felt around under the hem of her skirt before reaching into what looked like a small pocket sewn into the fabric. Ymir and Sasha gasped in unison when she pulled out a small, glittering diamond. 

“Where the hell did you get  _ that?"   _ Ymir asked in awe.

“I’m not sure,” Krista replied, “It was in my pocket when they found me, and the nurses were kind enough to give it back to me instead of taking it for themselves.”

“Really? What idiots.” Ymir commented, getting an elbow to the ribs from Sasha.

“I’ve been saving it for a time I really need it,” she continued, “I think now would definitely be that time.” 

“That’s great!” Sasha exclaimed. “Alright then. Do you feel ready, Krista?”

Krista met Sasha’s, and then Ymir’s eyes with her own and nodded. 

“I do. I’m going to be the best Historia Reiss that woman has ever seen.” 

“Good! Let’s celebrate with dinner!” 

The three of them had the first carefree night they’d had in ages. They ate, drank, laughed, and went to sleep that night feeling more excited and terrified than they had in their entire lives. 

They couldn’t wait. 


End file.
